UK injury compensation amounts (2026)
Last updated · By Mustafa Bilgic · Figures based on the Judicial College Guidelines, 17th edition (April 2024)
This page is a plain-English reference to the compensation amounts typically awarded for personal injuries in the UK. It brings together, in one place, the indicative bracket figures used to value the most common injuries by type and severity, so you can see roughly where a claim is likely to sit before you speak to a solicitor. Every figure here values general damages only — the pain, suffering and loss of amenity of the injury — and excludes the financial losses (special damages) that are added on top of a real award.
Quick summary: compensation by severity band
Across all injury types, awards broadly fall into three bands. This is the fastest way to understand the scale of a claim:
| Severity band | What it usually means | Typical range (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | Full recovery within months to about 2 years; no lasting effects | £300 – £12,000 |
| Moderate | Lasting symptoms, some permanent effect, but not disabling | £12,000 – £60,000 |
| Severe | Permanent, serious or life-changing disability | £60,000 – £490,000+ |
Head & brain injury compensation amounts
Brain injuries cover the widest range of any category, because outcomes range from a full recovery after concussion to permanent, life-changing disability requiring lifelong care. The most severe (very severe) brain injuries attract the highest general-damages awards in the JCG.
| Injury & severity | Indicative bracket (£) |
|---|---|
| Minor head injury (full recovery) | £2,690 – £14,400 |
| Less severe brain damage (good recovery) | £18,700 – £52,500 |
| Moderate brain damage | £52,500 – £219,000 |
| Moderately severe brain damage | £267,000 – £344,000 |
| Very severe brain damage | £344,150 – £493,000 |
Estimate a brain injury claim → · head injury calculator →
Neck, back & spinal injury compensation amounts
Most neck injuries from road accidents lasting up to two years are governed by the fixed whiplash tariff (£275–£4,830), not the JCG. The figures below apply to neck and back injuries valued under the Judicial College Guidelines — typically those lasting beyond two years or with serious, permanent damage.
| Injury & severity | Indicative bracket (£) |
|---|---|
| Minor neck injury (JCG, recovery 1–2 yrs) | £4,350 – £7,890 |
| Moderate neck injury | £7,890 – £38,490 |
| Severe neck injury | £45,470 – £148,330 |
| Minor back injury | £2,450 – £12,510 |
| Moderate back injury | £12,510 – £38,780 |
| Severe back injury | £38,780 – £160,980 |
| Spinal injury / paraplegia | £219,070 – £284,260 |
| Tetraplegia (quadriplegia) | £324,600 – £403,990 |
Neck injury calculator → · back injury calculator → · spinal injury calculator →
Arm, wrist, hand & finger compensation amounts
| Injury & severity | Indicative bracket (£) |
|---|---|
| Minor wrist injury (recovery) | £4,310 – £12,630 |
| Wrist injury (significant permanent disability) | £12,630 – £29,390 |
| Severe wrist injury (loss of function) | £29,390 – £58,930 |
| Less serious arm injury | £23,430 – £47,810 |
| Severe arm injury | £117,360 – £159,770 |
| Loss of one arm | £117,360 – £163,910 |
| Serious finger / thumb injury | £5,000 – £36,740 |
| Total loss of an index finger | £14,160 – £21,810 |
Wrist injury calculator → · finger injury calculator → · elbow injury calculator →
Leg, knee, ankle & foot compensation amounts
| Injury & severity | Indicative bracket (£) |
|---|---|
| Simple leg fracture (full recovery) | £2,800 – £14,520 |
| Moderate leg injury | £33,880 – £47,840 |
| Very serious leg injury | £66,920 – £109,290 |
| Amputation of one leg (below knee) | £119,570 – £162,290 |
| Moderate knee injury | £18,110 – £30,770 |
| Severe knee injury | £30,770 – £103,330 |
| Moderate ankle injury | £16,770 – £32,450 |
| Severe ankle injury | £38,210 – £61,090 |
| Moderate foot injury | £16,770 – £30,500 |
Knee injury calculator → · ankle injury calculator → · hip injury calculator →
Eye, hearing & sensory injury compensation amounts
| Injury & severity | Indicative bracket (£) |
|---|---|
| Minor eye injury | £4,460 – £9,860 |
| Total loss of one eye | £66,920 – £80,210 |
| Total blindness | in the region of £327,940 |
| Total blindness and deafness | in the region of £493,000 |
| Mild tinnitus / hearing loss | £7,360 – £14,710 |
| Total deafness in one ear | £38,210 – £55,570 |
| Total deafness | £105,930 – £127,940 |
Eye injury calculator → · hearing loss calculator →
Psychological injury, PTSD & scarring compensation amounts
| Injury & severity | Indicative bracket (£) |
|---|---|
| Less severe general psychiatric damage | £1,880 – £7,150 |
| Moderate psychiatric damage | £7,150 – £23,270 |
| Severe psychiatric damage | £66,920 – £141,240 |
| Less severe PTSD | £4,820 – £9,980 |
| Moderate PTSD | £9,980 – £28,250 |
| Severe PTSD | £73,050 – £122,850 |
| Less significant facial scarring | £4,180 – £14,480 |
| Very severe facial scarring | £32,150 – £105,000 |
Psychological injury calculator → · PTSD calculator → · scarring calculator →
Whiplash compensation amounts (statutory tariff)
Whiplash injuries from road accidents in England & Wales lasting up to two years are not valued under the JCG. Instead, a fixed government tariff applies, based purely on how long symptoms last. For accidents on or after 31 May 2025:
| Duration of symptoms | Tariff amount (£) |
|---|---|
| Up to 3 months | £275 |
| 3 to 6 months | £565 |
| 6 to 9 months | £965 |
| 9 to 12 months | £1,510 |
| 12 to 15 months | £2,335 |
| 15 to 18 months | £3,445 |
| 18 to 24 months | £4,830 |
Whiplash calculator → · how the tariff works →
How these amounts are used in a real claim
Solicitors and courts do not pick a single number from a table. They match your medical evidence — the diagnosis, severity and prognosis in your medical report — to the nearest JCG bracket, then place your award within that bracket according to the specific facts of your case. Two people with the "same" injury can receive very different awards depending on age, the effect on their work and hobbies, and how long recovery takes.
Crucially, the bracket is only part of the claim. Your special damages — lost earnings, treatment and care costs, travel, and future losses — are added on top, pound for pound. For a seriously injured person, those financial losses often dwarf the injury bracket itself. To see how the two combine for your own situation, use the free compensation calculator, which adds your losses to the relevant bracket automatically.
Sources & methodology
The brackets on this page are indicative figures derived from the following published references. They are guide ranges only and are rounded; always confirm a current figure with a qualified solicitor, as the Guidelines and tariff are updated periodically.
- Judicial College Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th edition (Judicial College, published April 2024) — the standard reference used by courts in England & Wales, which raised figures by approximately 22% over the 16th edition. See an overview at judiciary.uk.
- The Whiplash Injury Regulations and statutory tariff, Ministry of Justice — published on gov.uk. Tariff figures © Crown copyright (Open Government Licence v3.0).
- Official Injury Claim (Motor Insurers' Bureau) — guidance on the low-value claims portal at officialinjuryclaim.org.uk.
- Severe and catastrophic injury (such as paralysis, future care and loss of earnings) is calculated with the Ogden Tables, published by the Government Actuary's Department on gov.uk.
Frequently asked questions
What are the average UK compensation amounts for injuries?
There is no single average, because compensation depends on the injury and its severity. As an indicative guide based on the Judicial College Guidelines, minor injuries that fully recover are worth a few hundred to a few thousand pounds, moderate injuries roughly £5,000 to £50,000, and severe or permanent injuries from around £50,000 to over £490,000 for the most catastrophic brain and spinal injuries. Your financial losses are added on top.
What are the Judicial College Guidelines?
The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) are the standard reference used by solicitors and courts in England and Wales to value the injury element of a claim (general damages). They set out bracket figures for each body part and severity. The current 17th edition was published in April 2024 and raised the figures by around 22% to reflect inflation.
Do these amounts include lost earnings and other costs?
No. These brackets are for general damages only — the pain, suffering and loss of amenity of the injury itself. Your financial losses (special damages) such as lost earnings, medical and care costs and future losses are added on top, pound for pound. A serious claim is often worth far more than the bracket once losses are included.
Are these UK injury compensation figures guaranteed?
No. They are indicative guide ranges, rounded, and clearly labelled as such. Every claim is decided on its own medical evidence, the question of who was at fault, and the proven losses. Use this table to understand the likely scale of a claim, then confirm the figure with a qualified solicitor.